The agitating workers are demanding that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and FEMC Pratibha release fund for their salaries.

1,600 construction workers and contractors are agitating at Jantar Mantar due to non-payment of dues. (IE)

Delhi Metro’s phase-III work has come to a standstill as over 1,600 construction workers and contractors are agitating at Jantar Mantar due to non-payment of dues. The agitating workers are demanding that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and FEMC Pratibha release fund for their salaries. Labour Contractor Ashish Dwivedi, who has 300 labourers working under him told the Indian Express that the money owed to him amounts to Rs 25 crore. ”FEMC Pratibha paid us nine months ago after we stopped working. Then DMRC assured us that they will pay us since then only partial payments have been made over a period of a month or two,” Dwivedi said.

Anuj Dayal, Executive Director, Corporate Communications, of the DMRC told the Indian Express that the agitating workers were hired by a contractor and by the DMRC. Dayal said, ”the workers agitating over alleged non-payment of dues at Jantar Mantar were hired by one of DMRC’s contractors named M/s FEMC Pratibha and not by the DMRC. We have directed the contractor to clear all dues and are closely monitoring the situation.” Dayal also said that if a worker files a complaint then the DMRC will take appropriate action, but no such complaint has been made. This is an issue between the contractor and the sub-contractor.

Babloo Tripathi, another contractor, told the Indian Express, ”I have been taking loans for the last seven months to pay workers under me, now I am in debt, this is why I am protesting. Tripathi went on to say that the work has now stopped at nine stations of the yet to be functional Phase-III of the DMRC expansion plan. Tripathi added, “If our demands are not met then we will put the functioning of the metro on hold”. DMRC meanwhile has said that there is no delay in work, as per IE.